Surprise Guests Kept It Interesting at This Year's Authors Night

Alice Harris with the cover from her book "Blow Me a Kiss"
Durell Godfrey, photos

With the authors who came to the East Hampton Library's annual Authors Night event last week mostly familiar, it was the appearance of guests such as Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky that kept things interesting. Former Gov. George Pataki showed up to support his daughter's book, and Bill O'Reilly, the conservative television pundit and recent Montauk arrival, also came to the event.

The authors who signed books included Nelson DeMille, Mary Emmerling, Aerin Lauder, James Zirin, Lynn Sherr, and Giada De Laurentiis. Michael Shnayerson told the New York Post that he was off to a pre-wedding party after signing his last book. He married Gayfrid Steinberg on Sunday.

"Gosman's or Duryea's? Hmmm," Rand Paul seemed to muse after receiving mixed messages over where he should go for a lobster roll, according to the New York Post.

Mary Emmerling with her book on the American Flag

Aerin Lauder arrived to sign her book "Beauty at Home."

Bill O'Reilly ditched the suit for a more casual weekend look at the event.